Some Bay Ridge residents are trying to get a section of their community designated as a historic district.

Area residents say they are trying to preserve the block known as "Doctors' Row" along Bay Ridge Parkway. If the Landmarks Preservation Commission grants the designation, this would be the first historic district in the neighborhood.

Last week, the commission heard testimony from the community and local leaders in unanimous support of the move. If the block were a landmark, any property owner trying to make changes to the exterior of their structure would need approval from the commission -- in the form of permits -- so that such alterations would not disrupt the aesthetic of the row.

Residents say they and their neighbors want to keep the beauty and history of the block, which is lined with well-preserved limestone row houses, intact.

If approved, all 54 structures on the block would become historic landmarks.

The commission is expected to hold a vote in mid-June.